1Address for correspondence: Dr N. Sloot, Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Medizinische Universität zu Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, D-2400 Lübeck, Germany.
An elastase of Staphylococcus epidermidis was purified by ion exchange chromatography on CM-Sepharose and characterised. Its Mr is c. 21 kDa, its optimal temperature for activity is 42°C and the pH optimum is 6.8. The enzyme is activated by cysteine and other SH-donators and inhibited by l-trans-epoxy-succinylleucylamido-(4-guanidino)butane (E64), an inhibitor of cysteine proteases, but not by 3,4-dichloroisocoumarin (3,4-DCI), an inhibitor of serine proteases. This finding suggests that the elastase of S. epidermidis is a cysteine protease. Because S. epidermidis elastase degrades human sIgA, IgM, serum albumin, fibrinogen, and fibronectin, this enzyme may be regarded as a virulence factor.
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